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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880093">No Time To Say Goodbye- Mentor Death AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/todays_keysmash_is/pseuds/todays_keysmash_is'>todays_keysmash_is</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Life of the Party D&amp;D (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:55:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/todays_keysmash_is/pseuds/todays_keysmash_is</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three little one shots for each of our Delphos heroes. Here's hoping that this stays in AU land because it's all fun and games until there's a canon death scene.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Alexander</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was probably about the furthest thing from a date, but she was still proud. After pining over her mentor for ages, she had still yet to make any moves. Perhaps it was knowing that graduation would be coming up soon that had given her the slight boost she needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had agreed to take on the contract as guides and guards for the representatives from Vishima, and she had been very excited to tell Alexander about it. Though it wasn’t exactly the political role she hoped to one day fill, a quick experience as a guard would make a unique addition to her resume. Alexander had said something rather innocuous in reply, just a casual remark about how professional he was sure she would be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re probably going to be at the restaurant around 7:00. If… you wanted to come see us in action?” she had offered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was surprised by herself even as the words had left her mouth. It was a rather silly thing to ask, as she was basically inviting him to sit alone at a restaurant so he could watch her stand around. The uncertainty and embarrassment must have shown on her face, because he had held up a comforting hand and agreed to stop by for a drink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The knowledge that Alexander was looking at her from across the bar was the only thing that prevented her from openly staring at him, but she was still far from focused, trying too hard to look like she wasn’t affected by his presence. They had been told how important these visitors were, and that they had very important political work to do in the city. Mayes and Icarus stood firmly on guard, as they had the entirety of the previous day, but she was completely distracted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She should have known this was going to happen, and she cursed herself for allowing it. Too focused on mentally berating herself for letting down the team, she didn’t notice the dart whiz past her until one of the visitors let out a shout, the projectile buried in the flesh of their arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The trio of students sprang to action, scanning the restaurant as the commotion began. Most of the patrons ran to escape while a few shouted and pointed towards the back, “It’s them! Over here!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The students remained dutifully at their posts. They had been instructed not to leave their side even if there was a threat, and to escort the three delegates to safety before apprehending any aggressor. Besides, they weren’t the only fighters in Erran, and two or three of the braver patrons had already begun running towards the supposed attacker. Icarus set about trying to heal the injured guest as Mayes pulled the other two out of their seats, ushering them to the exit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The trio had just made it to the door, Icarus urging the injured guest forward as Mayes pushed the other two through the exit, when Pandora heard a shout that was suddenly cut off by a horrible gurgling sound.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She turned to see Alexander collapse against a wall, a hand on his throat where another dart had pierced into him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alexander!” she shouted, rushing back inside. Mayes and Icarus called out her name, but she wouldn’t turn back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She ran to him, dropping to his side. “Alexander, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! What can I do, how can I help you? Oh my Gods, we need to get you to the infirmary, can you walk?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexander hissed in pain, gritting his teeth as he pressed himself further against the wall. The chaos continued around them as the assassin fled, employees and customers alike screaming and running for cover. Pandora met eyes with him, and her mentor looked absolutely terrified.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an utterly disturbing feeling, to see someone she respected so highly in such a state of fear. Some part of her recalled a similar disturbing feeling when she had seen her father break down over the death of her mother. The sight of such a strong person, someone she relied on, someone she looked up to, stricken with such uncertainty and anguish… it chilled her to the bone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexander began to move his hands, trying desperately to cast out some kind of spell, but it didn’t seem to be working. At first, she thought it was because he couldn’t speak with the dart lodged in place, but then, she noticed the familiar sheen of magic on the dart. There was some sort of rune inscribed onto the side as well. Another student may not have realized, but being top of her class, she knew.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Gods, um, okay, okay… Okay, it suppresses healing magic, okay? Nobody near it can cast to help. We can’t heal you until we get it out, okay? I need to pull it out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexander’s eyes flashed with recognition when she had identified the hidden power of the projectile, but he shook his head violently when she suggested removing it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alexander, you need healing! Please, let me take it out- ”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head again, trying to scoot himself away from her as he made an awful rasping sound, trying desperately to speak. It was definitely the physical dart that was preventing him from using his voice, not the spell. She wasn’t sure why he would be so adverse to her taking it out, though. Perhaps it was part of the spell, that he didn’t want to be healed?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexander started to spit blood, contorting his face as he retched, his skin stretching as if something was growing inside. It didn’t make any sense, there was no way the thin metal of the dart’s point could have caused that much damage already. Was it poisoned? Cursed, somehow? She couldn’t think straight with everyone screaming around her, and her mentor staring at her with wide, terrified eyes, choking as he tried uselessly to form words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to heal you, we have to heal you. Alexander, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. It’ll be over quickly, I promise, just, hold still!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She fought with him a moment as he tried to get away, but she managed to wrap her fingers around the base of the dart. Giving a strong pull, she yanked it out.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few days later, there was a new paper posted up on the school notice board. Usually filled with information about clubs and classes, there was now a rather large poster calling for Delphos students to join various army reserves and take up arms along with Vishima against “unknown aggressors.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn’t figured out who exactly the assassins were, but it seemed Vishima was already preparing for further battle. It seems most likely that the assassins were Errani, but Vishima knew better than to pick a fight with Erran. They would probably end up blaming one of the smaller settlements for it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Pandora wasn’t interested in that poster. She was interested in a different notice. The paper was that sickly green color that Pandora had always rather disliked, but every student knew what that color meant. She skimmed it, skipping over the words that were copied and repeated every few months to find the real information. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sad News for Delphos Academy… tragic loss… the Counseling Office will be open… in this time of grief… we invite you to a gathering on the main lawn…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ah, there it was. She noted down the time and date of the gathering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some time later, a few chairs and flowers were arranged on the main lawn. A couple of people spoke. Pandora did not.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They spoke about Alexander, his personality, his likes, dislikes, and a few anecdotes from various stories about his life. Almost none of it matched what Pandora had known about him. She didn’t know what hurt worse, the thought that she had apparently never truly known him, or the realization that now, she never would.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was assigned a new mentor. She had already passed all three tasks, but she couldn’t take the written exams without a mentor. It was a crotchety old elf that Pandora hadn’t bothered to learn the name of, a horrible man who had only grown more bitter as the decades had passed. He made some casual comment about her, some sort of remark that suggested he was happy to be getting a student who would surely pass. Pandora didn’t entirely understand, but it sounded as if he was going to receive some kind of benefit for passing a student so easily, profiting off of Alexander’s hard work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Livid, she had silently plotted against him. She filled page after page with utter gibberish, purposefully bombing the written exam. When he informed her that she would need to repeat the year, she offered nothing but a vindictive smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later, she regretted it.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They didn’t get a full explanation until weeks later. The visitor from Vishima had survived, though his arm was now completely useless. When Icarus realized healing magic was futile, Mayes had made the executive decision to pull the dart out. The man’s skin had ripped open, revealing a horrifying web of metal that seemed to have grown through his muscles, and leaving the arm dangling at his side. He had been rather understandably upset by that, threatening to have them both imprisoned for it, but he was later forced to admit they had saved his life. As the rather incensed man set about building a legal case against them, studying the dart and sending for all the best mages, they found what had made the weapon so deadly. Somehow, the sharp point of the dart had extended and replicated inside his flesh, filling his arm with growing barbs that would have infested his entire body had it not been pulled out right away. Apparently, the assassin had been very well prepared.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After hearing that, a few people tried to comfort Pandora about it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There was nothing you could have done,</span>
  </em>
  <span> they said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He was already gone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She knew it was the truth, and she would give them a silent nod in return. Even as she had sat with him against that wall, her mentor had already been a dead man. There was nothing she could have done.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it didn’t help that she had ripped out his throat.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Lorakai</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was almost exactly like their dream had warned them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The strange cavern with the glowing green lights had been suddenly filled with the familiar creature, the Father of All Monsters, primed to attack. They had fought as hard as they could, but it was almost impossible to land a hit on the thing, and it was sure to deliver a devastating blow every time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost exactly like their dream had warned them. Except for Lorakai.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lorakai wasn’t supposed to have come with them, but after Icarus had continued to tell him about the premonition and the indescribable horror of the creature within the strange room, he felt a familiar sense of duty calling him to arms. The trio of students had done their sleuthing, found the location of the mysterious site, and planned to investigate further in order to find out the identity of the strange figure that had been speaking to Damen in their dream. Icarus wasn’t one to keep secrets from Lorakai, and when he informed his mentor of their plan, the kid had asked him to join them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You might not believe you can change fate, old man,” the triton had smiled. “But I do. And hey, if you tag along… Well, that’s at least one thing that’ll be different. Come on. Besides,” another grin, “I’m pretty sure we’d be unbeatable together, anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lorakai still didn’t think it was a good plan. Fate was a tricky thing, and messing with fate’s plan never turned out well. But, he knew there was no talking the boy out of it, and it did seem serious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He decided to come along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Although they had managed to do a significant bit of research on the creature after finding the right connections, it was still an impossible fight. Despite how vivid the dream had been, none of the students had truly, fully expected such a beast to be possible in the flesh. But suddenly, there it was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus had fired off every spell in his arsenal at the monster, but it seemed immune to almost everything, barely registering that the ants at its feet were fighting back at all. Weapons merely bounced off it, and spells rarely took effect. They were able to dodge a bit better for the first few beats of the fight, having experienced the creature’s exact moves before, but that was their only advantage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Damianos appeared right on cue, plunging his weapon down into the beast’s back as the massive head reared around to bite at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mayes was knocked to the ground as the creature beat a pair of enormous wings, and Icarus hurried to their side. Grabbing their hand to hoist them back to their feet, he allowed a portion of his healing magic to flow into his friend.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pandora went down as a massive claw raked into her, and Icarus ran over. Pressing a hand to her face, she gasped, and her eyes flicked back open. It seemed this was all he could do in the battle, run between his fallen allies and try desperately to get them back up. What would he do when his strength to save them ran out?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before his blood went cold once more. Lorakai shouted from across the stone platform as an enormous claw knocked him to the floor, his head smacking against the hard stone tiles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lorakai!” Icarus shouted, racing over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lorakai blinked open his eye, unable to focus as his head spun. “Kid…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus had already been tracing symbols in the air for the healing spell, but the creature was impossibly fast. An enormous hand wailed down, blocking Icarus’s view for a moment before moving to reveal what it had done.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One of the dragon-headed fingers had plunged into the wound across Lorakai’s chest, devouring the corpse that had been his father figure mere seconds ago.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A scream tore its way out of Icarus’s throat as he ran forward. Without thinking, the spell he had already started became an attack. An enormous explosion of energy shot from his hand, blasting the dragon-headed finger into dust. Considering the immense power of the creature, it was a hugely impressive blow, though no scholar would have been able to name the spell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lorakai would have been proud.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He fell to his knees, gripping the shoulders of his mentor tightly as he forced the last reserves of his healing abilities into the body. But it was no use. From the shoulders down, Lorakai was no more than a pile of flesh. The dragon’s jaws had torn his intestines into a bloody pulp, and the carnage was absolutely grotesque.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus kept his eyes on Lorakai’s face, refusing to look lower. The small part of Icarus’s mind that was still paying attention to his surroundings heard a thud from the other side of the creature. The dream had been accurate so far, so he had to guess that was Mayes, falling to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As a last resort, Icarus gripped his holy symbol. He was at a complete loss, and he called out for guidance, invoking the name in a desperate prayer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I beseech you, please, help us. Show me the way, if there is a way. Is there anything I can do? I beg you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus had read about higher level religious leaders and their experiences reaching out to various Gods. Many of them spoke about a sudden feeling of deep connection, as if they could feel what their deity was feeling. Though Icarus had never experienced that before, he was quietly hopeful that one day, he might.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he sent out the prayer, he felt something return, but it was not the comfort or assurance he had pleaded for. Instead, a feeling of a deep sadness settled into his very soul. It wasn’t the fervent anguish of losing his mentor, or the chilling terror of the monster’s power. It was as if he was feeling someone else’s sadness altogether.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wondered for a brief moment if that meant anything at all, but then, he hung his head, and decided it didn’t matter. He was completely drained. There was nothing he could do to save his friends, just like there had been nothing he could do to save Lorakai.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fighting was completely useless. Icarus had been completely useless. His eyes, blurry with tears, could just make out Pandora on the other side of the stone platform, her limp form dropping to the ground once more. His attempts to help her had been useless, too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Damianos let out a battle cry and the creature turned, distracted. As it did, Icarus looked up to see an immeasurably long tail careening towards him. He found it a bit ironic that the creature that was about to kill him would likely not even realize it had done so. That’s how small he was, in this wide, cruel world. Barely a blip.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He closed his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tail hit him square on the head and the world went dark as Icarus thought back on a conversation over tea so many nights ago. Lorakai had warned him, fate had a funny way of dancing its dance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This had always been inevitable. There had been no way of avoiding it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere, a red thread snapped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Citra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mentors weren’t explicitly banned from taking up contracts, but it was certainly unconventional. After Mayes had passed their second task, Citra couldn’t help the desire to stand alongside her student one final time, knowing they would soon be graduating and off to bigger and better things. She didn’t need the money, but Mayes had made it clear that they would be splitting the reward evenly as a matter of principle, and Citra didn’t feel the need to argue the point any further.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was something nostalgic about it, when the trio had first learned they would be fighting carrion crawlers again. Their last encounter with them had been just a few weeks ago, but it felt like ages. As the battle ensued, however, Mayes found it to be rather anticlimactic. There was no unexpected hill giant for them to defeat, just three simple crawlers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Worse, Mayes hadn’t landed a single shot in the battle. This was mostly due to the fact that Citra had expertly defeated two of them at once, slashing out with her weapon as their guts spilled to the floor. The third was clear across the field, and Mayes only had enough time to fire off a crossbow bolt that went embarrassingly wide as Icarus and Pandora finished it off. Mayes hadn’t even had the chance to reach for one of their swords.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All things considered, it was rather understandable that Mayes was so excited when the unexpected creature did appear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they walked back towards the city walls far in the distance, Citra had been lightly teasing her student. “Too slow again,” she had grinned. She wasn’t usually one to grin, but the victory had put her in an uncharacteristically lighter mood. “You know this means you owe me another plate of that spicy fish, right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Usually, Mayes would have rolled their eyes and bantered along back, but something about the mission had felt unfinished even then. Mayes was well aware this would likely be the last opportunity they would have to fight alongside their mentor, and the way it had turned out wasn’t sitting well with them. They didn’t feel the need to prove themselves to Citra, at least, not in the desperate way that a certain orange tiefling did, but Mayes wanted to leave a good final impression. The carrion crawlers, frankly, hadn’t been exciting enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, in a flash, Mayes’s silent wish came true. The enormous snake had practically pounced out of the patch of forest they had been passing, lifting Citra clear off the ground in its jaws before knocking Icarus and Pandora to the ground as its head barrelled forwards.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mayes, of course, had expertly dodged. Now was their chance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without missing a beat, they charged forwards, dual swords sliding into place as they slashed into the creature. Dropping Citra in pain, the snake reared back the monstrous head to hiss, flicking its tail once more to pin Icarus to the ground again while Pandora hurried to her feet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mayes heard Citra let out a swear on the ground behind them. Mayes readied themselves for the brawl, calling over their shoulder. “Looks like you were too slow!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They continued slashing in with the blades, landing blow after blow on the creature while it hissed and spat at them, trying to knock Mayes off balance. Mayes was vaguely aware of the sporadic bursts of orange energy coming from Pandora to aid in the fight, but as far as Mayes was concerned, this was between them and the creature, no one else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a good fifteen seconds struggling to escape the crushing bodyweight of the snake, Icarus had finally scrambled to get to his feet. He ran forward, “Citra!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I got it!” Mayes yelled back. They weren’t a healer like Icarus, but they were absolutely confident that they could defeat the creature. Mayes was certain that Citra would not take another blow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus had slowed as he ran across the field, looking confused. “But- ?” the wind was knocked out of him once more as a much smaller snake appeared, using the same sneak attack technique. The triton seemed a bit conflicted at first, knowing this was likely a mother and child  duo, but there was nothing he could do. The living rope ensnared him. His life was in danger, and he had to fight back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Behind them, Citra groaned. “Mayes…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a moment!” they replied, a smile breaking across their face as they saw an opening. Jumping into the air, Mayes scaled the creature just as they had the giant a few weeks before, taking a step up and onto its chest before piercing through the flesh with Silence. Using the sword as a handhold, they pulled themselves further up, and the second blade slid expertly into the joint of its jaw.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The enormous snake fell to its side, and as Mayes came to the ground with it, they twisted the blade deeper. With a sickening pop, the body ceased thrashing, and the bottom half of the jaw was completely dislocated. Its fangs were still dripping with Citra’s blood, and some other clear, sticky substance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Panting, Mayes turned around to give Citra a cocky grin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few yards away, Icarus had managed to defeat the younger one, slicing it in half as it had wrapped around him. He was still untangling the two pieces from his body as he ran over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cocky grin faded from Mayes’s face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Icarus and Pandora rushed through the grass, kneeling at Citra’s side as they tried in vain to help. Mayes had frozen in place, watching the scene unfold as if behind a wall of glass, unable to do anything but stare.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No… No, no, no…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later, in the infirmary, they learned what had happened. Poison damage, simple as that. There were some types of attacks that could hurt you well after the initial blow. It was a simple concept, something even the first years knew. Citra had been weakened a bit by the poison of the carrion crawlers before, and her system was already tired from fighting that off before the venom of the snake. It could have been avoided, they explained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mayes knew what that meant. Those working at the infirmary wouldn’t say it directly, but Mayes knew. If they had allowed Icarus to heal her, it would have been fine. But Mayes had wanted to leave a lasting impression. Heroically and single handedly saving the teacher would have been quite the poetic ending to their mentorship, and Mayes had been stuck on it. That competitive nature had always been their fatal flaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For awhile, life went on around them, and then, Mayes went on with life. They passed their exams, went home, and continued forwards. Though a bit more stoic than before, not much about them changed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Except for one thing. They didn’t eat that spicy fish anymore. They didn’t deserve it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had been too slow.</span>
</p>
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